


Layers

by Inhibitedmonochrome



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Romance, i just wanted an excuse to write fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inhibitedmonochrome/pseuds/Inhibitedmonochrome
Summary: "Don't expect me to be some tsundere out of an anime. I don't get any better than this," Levi coughed out.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 9
Kudos: 88





	Layers

Levi was, in a metaphorical sense, not so much an onion as he was a shallot. An imperfect surface, and not so much different on the inside from the outside. It's not like he tried to pretend that he was anything but crass and blunt and dark, but the people he dated often tried to search for something more, convinced that they would be the one to change Levi's bad boy exterior.

So when the blonde he had met at the bar called his sarcasm _endearing_ , Levi thought, _here's another one of those_ , but still couldn't bring himself to walk away.

The man's name was Erwin, he was too tall for the barstools, and his bright blue eyes caught the little bit of lighting available in the bar. He had been waiting at a corner of the bar for a few minutes before Levi could find the time to serve him, but Erwin had not been impatient in the least. Levi had found himself cataloging details about the patron waiting to be served, with quick glances and a nod over to let Erwin know he would be there soon. _His nose is too big_ , had been Levi's first thought. It didn't take away from Erwin's face though, because otherwise he would have looked like he was a sculpted Greek God, and the slightly larger than was proportional nose made him look a little more human. Levi had also noticed the man's three-piece suit, which looked entirely too formal for a mid scale bar like Levi's. He couldn't deny that it looked good on the man, though.

When Levi finally finished with a group of rowdy college kids, he turned to the blonde.

"Okay, what can I get you?" Levi asked, wiping his hands down on the towel he had at his waist.

"Do you have any good champagne back there?" said Erwin, eyes creasing in a smile. Levi scoffed. He had been expecting a whiskey type of man.

"Yeah, bachelor party or something? I've got a special bottle," said Levi, pulling a step stool out from under the bar. His height was annoying at times like this, when he needed some assistance to grab the large silver bottle on the higher shelves. He hated looking small, and hoped the well-dressed man hadn't noticed.

"Yeah, my friend Mike's getting hitched, never thought it would happen," Erwin chuckled, slipping a card over the counter. Levi handed him the bottle and asked the staff to bring it to the table with some champagne flutes. He grabbed the credit card and looked up at Erwin. Damn, the man really was tall.

"You want to open a tab?" Levi said, raising his voice a little as the college student group got more raucous.

Erwin hesitated for a second before replying. "Yeah, sure," he said, pausing to look Levi over once, then again. "I've a feeling I'll be here for a while."

Levi felt heat rising up his cheeks, and quickly turned to the register. Getting hit on was all in a day's work for a bartender, but he didn't feel annoyed like he usually would. Erwin had been patient and polite the whole time, and was pretty darn good looking if Levi was being honest with himself. He didn't mind the attention, and the older (he guessed) man didn't seem to be a pervert.

"Alright, you're good to go," Levi said.

Erwin smiled, and turned to leave, but not before asking, "Would you be able to share a drink with me at the end of your shift?"

And that's how he ended up nursing a whiskey (he had been right) with the man called Erwin. There were only a few straggling customers remaining in the bar, and Levi closed Erwin's tab before pulling the step stool out again. He reached for a bottle in the corner of the shelves, some barrel-aged stuff he had been saving for himself.

"This one's on the house," Levi said before Erwin could begin to question it. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. Everyday he would get a few patrons attempting to get a free drink with their claims of birthdays and new engagements. The more confident assholes didn't even try an excuse, simply hoping their looks would get them a cocktail. Levi only really did drinks on the house for their regular customers, and even then, it wasn't often. Something about Erwin made him volunteer the good whiskey behind the counter, and it wasn't just the way Erwin's hot stare burned his back as Levi turned to grab a fresh shot glass.

It was an hour into conversation before Erwin labelled Levi _endearing_. Levi had just commented on how Erwin looked like a pompous asshole walking into their small bar dressed in a suit, and Erwin had chuckled, not offended in the slightest.

"Are you always like this?" Erwin asked in a polite tone.

Levi lifted an eyebrow and challenged, "Too much for you?"

Erwin chuckled again, lips settling into a soft smile. "Your sarcasm is rather endearing. I like it."

Levi promptly turned a strange shade of pink, and choked on his whiskey. Sputtering, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Don't expect me to be some tsundere out of an anime. I don't get any better than this," Levi coughed out. He was going to be sorely disappointed if Erwin turned out to be another one of those men, who dated Levi only because it was a challenge. Nothing good ever came out of those relationships, because at some point the other party would realise that Levi was never going to be specially warm towards one individual, and then they would leave, blaming Levi on their way out the door.

"I don't expect you to change. I don't need you," Erwin smiled. Something dark twisted in Levi's chest. He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"I mean," Erwin continued, catching onto Levi's discontentment. "I don't need you to be a certain kind of person for me. I'm nearly 40, single, and pretty satisfied with my life. But I would like to take you out on a date, if you would like to go on one with me."

Levi cocked his head to one side. "That's not a very romantic way to ask, old man," he said. It made him feel indignant, but also safe. It wasn't really arrogance he was hearing from Erwin. _He's just that fucking confident_ , Levi realised.

"Yeah, okay. You can take me on a date," Levi said, trying his best to sound unconcerned. "But you're paying."

Erwin smiled like he had found a secret nobody else knew of. "Of course." There and then, Erwin peeled back the first layer of the shallot that was Levi.

Two years later, on a particularly cold Christmas night, Levi was snuggled under the thick blankets, back against Erwin's chest when he thought of a question.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"When we met, were you trying to act all cool and shit, like you didn't care if you could find something deeper in me?" Levi asked. Erwin hummed in thought, pressing a kiss to Levi's neck.

"You are on the outside who you are on the inside. Independent, witty, and with one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know," Erwin finally said after a moment.

Levi scoffed and turned to face Erwin. "Kind? You must have a concussion if you believe that bullshit," he said, glaring up into cerulean blue.

Erwin laughed, gripping Levi's arm. "The sarcasm is consistent too." Levi rolled his eyes.

"I liked who I met at the bar, and I like who you are now, Levi. Actually-" Erwin paused, suddenly with a nervous look on his face. He rolled over Levi, reaching for the bedside table. Opening the drawer, he grabbed a small, black box. Levi's eyes followed his movement, and then he realized what Erwin was about to do. Blinking in shock, he watched as Erwin shuffled out of bed, kneeling at the edge of their bed in his striped cotton pyjamas.

"I was waiting for a better time, but this feels right...will you marry me, Levi?" Erwin said, cracking open the box to reveal a simple, white gold band. Levi's eyes widened, and he held on to the blankets, stunned and still leaning sideways on an elbow. He finally managed to break out of his stupor as Erwin was beginning to look less hopeful and more disappointed.

"Yeah, okay. Fuck, you couldn't have warned me? I'm shirtless," Levi snapped, half irritated. He couldn't quite figure out the other half of his emotions, but he was almost certain it was somewhere between _happiness_ and _contentment_.

Erwin grinned. "You look hot," he said as he grabbed Levi's hand and slipped the ring onto the fourth finger.

"Pervert," Levi retorted, but he couldn't stop the corners of his lips from lifting into a sort-of-smile.

"You love me," Erwin said, and it wasn't a question. _Arrogant bastard_ , Levi thought. But tonight, he would let Erwin get away with it.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I had fun writing this fluffy fluffy fluff and I hope you liked it too!


End file.
